A review of the effect of pesticide formulations on male fertility

Experimental studies suggest that large numbers of chemicals, environmental and industrial pollutants affect the male reproductive system. At present, almost no information is available on the effects of these adverse agents on human reproduction. Recent reports, however, suggest that in the past 50 years male fertility has declined based on qualitative and quantitative measurements of normal sperm. This study identifies‐among the active ingredients and solvents included in pesticide formulations registered in Italy‐the chemical agents with experimental evidence of male reproductive toxicity. Documents produced by international agencies and organizations such as IARC, EPA, WHO, and original papers from the international literature were systematically reviewed. The results indicate that several pesticide products notified in the Italian Registry contain active ingredients and/or solvents severely affecting testicular function and sperm morphology in laboratory animals. Therefore, exposure to reproductive toxicants occurring among manufacturers and users of pesticide formulations registered in Italy suggest further epidemiologic surveys should be conducted in this area.     

‘You have to learn to live with it’: a qualitative and quantitative study of older people with asthma

Introduction: Asthma mortality has declined overall because of a range of public health initiatives. In western countries, the majority of asthma deaths now occur in people over the age of 50. The reasons for the poorer response of older age groups to public health asthma initiatives are not known. Objectives: We undertook a study to investigate the disease perspectives of older people with asthma and barriers which may exist and prevent optimal asthma care. Methods: Fifty‐five participants (16 male and 39 female) aged over 50 from an inner city, suburban area and a rural region were recruited. Lung function was measured, and questionnaire data on asthma symptoms, knowledge and control, medication use and respiratory health were collected. Participants were also interviewed in‐depth, and the quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated. Results: Participants with a duration of asthma for >30 years reported significantly fewer symptoms and better quality of life irrespective of asthma severity, indicating less appreciation of symptoms in those with a long asthma duration. Interviews revealed this was related to previous asthma management strategies when treatment options were limited. Participants with a recent diagnosis sought understanding of asthma and the reason for their illness. Initiatives to improve asthma care in older people need to reflect these findings. Conclusions: Self‐management strategies for older people need to be tailored according to the time of disease onset and the duration of disease. Please cite this paper as: Goeman DP, O’Hehir RE, Jenkins C, Scharf SL and Douglass JA. ‘You have to learn to live with it’: a qualitative and quantitative study of older people with asthma. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2007; 1:99–105.     

颅脑损伤患者伤后细胞免疫功能变化及黄芪的免疫调节作用

目的：研究颅脑损伤患者伤后细胞免疫功能的变化规律及黄芪对细胞免疫功能的调节作用。方法：73例中、重型颅脑损伤患者随机分为常规治疗组35例和黄芪治疗组38例。对照组10例。采用放射免疫法．双抗体夹心酶联免疫吸附法及碱性磷酸酶法于不同时间检测各组患者细胞免疫学指标，1个月后进行疗效评价，并进行统计学处理。结果：颅脑损伤患者伤后1d IL-2、CD4、CD4／CD8显著下降，SIL-2R及CD8显著升高(P＜0．01)。伤后第30天常规组与黄芪组比较IL-2，SIL-2R，CD8、CD4／CD8有显著性差异，CD4无显著性差异。伤后1月两组患者感染发生率、GCS评分、日常生活能力比较有显著性差异(P＜0．01)。结论：中、重型颅脑损伤息者伤后存在显著的细胞免疫功能抑制，黄芪可以改善患者细胞免疫功能状态，提高机体抗感染能力．改善预后。     

云南罗平医院员工对医院的认同度分析

通过问卷调查和访谈分析,调查了云南罗平医院194名员工对医院的认同度,调查对象包括行政、临床和后勤人员,从医院管理模式、医院绩效考核、医院薪酬待遇等方面用描述统计方法分析了数据,显示了医院员工的认同度情况及管理中存在的问题,并分析了不同因素对医院员工的认同度影响,为进一步改善医院管理状况,提高管理水平提供了参考。     

Evaluation of human antibody responses to diphtheria toxin subunits A and B in various age groups

This study aimed to evaluate human antibody responses to diphtheria toxin subunits in various age groups. Antibodies against the intact diphtheria toxin and the diphtheria toxin subunits A and B were evaluated in 1319 individuals using a double-antigen ELISA. Although high levels of protection (83.6%, 95% CI 79.2-87.4) were found in children and adolescents, the middle-aged adult population was less protected (28.8%, 95% CI 24.3-33.6). An increase in age was associated with a decrease in the frequency of protected individuals in the 0-39-year age group (p <0.001). Anti-subunit B levels correlated well (p <0.01) with levels of antibodies against the intact toxin. In children aged < or =16 years, the intervals at which the peaks in geometric mean titres of anti-subunit B antibodies were observed were found to correlate with the ages at which booster doses are administered. Overall, males appeared to be more protected than females (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.34-2.08, p <0.001). A small group of individuals had antibody levels of > or =0.1 IU/mL against the intact toxin, but did not have protective antibody against subunit B. Determination of anti-subunit B antibody levels should help in evaluating the effectiveness of diphtheria boosters and other aspects of diphtheria immunity.     

Evaluation of the Crithidia assay to distinguish between auto-immune chronic active hepatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus

The aim of this study was to determine if the Crithidia luciliae assay for auto-antibodies to double-stranded DNA, often positive in systemic lupus erythematosus, is always negative in auto-immune chronic active hepatitis (CAH) as has recently been suggested. Twenty-five patients were identified as having auto-immune CAH. Mean duration of follow-up was 10.5 years. Antinuclear antibodies were detected in 92%, smooth muscle antibodies in 76% and antimitochondrial antibodies in 16%. Antibodies to double-stranded DNA were detected by the Crithidia assay in four patients (16%). Two of these patients had positive tests on only one occasion and no features of systemic lupus erythematosus. In the other two the assay was persistently positive. During follow-up both developed arthritis and serositis but the liver lesion remained the dominant clinical feature. It was concluded that there is significant serological overlap between auto-immune CAH and systemic lupus erythematosus making the Crithidia assay unreliable in distinguishing between them.     

百事特蜂王宝对受抑小鼠免疫功能的影响

为了探讨蜂王宝对免疫功能的影响,用蜂王宝对受抑小鼠进行了淋巴细胞增殖,抗体形成细胞等免疫功能试验。在正常淋巴细胞增殖中,蜂王宝组与正常对照组比较差异非常显著(P<0.01),在PHA诱导的小鼠淋巴细胞增殖中,蜂王宝组与正常对照组比较和蜂王宝+强的松龙组与强的松龙组比较差异也非常显著(P<0.01).蜂王宝+强的松龙组与强的松龙组的脾重比较差异有显著性(P<0.05),结果显示,蜂王宝能显著提高受抑小鼠淋巴细胞增殖能力,而对体液免癌无明显作用。     

放免法检测乙型慢性活动性肝炎病人红细胞C3b受体的研究

用放免法检测乙型慢性活动性肝炎病人的红细胞ｃ３ｂ受体（ＫＢＣＣＲ１）．结果：病人ＲＢＣＣＲ１明显低于献血员（Ｐ＜０．０５）；抗－ＨＢｓ特异性免疫复合物阳性病人ＲＢＣＣＲ１明显低于阴性病人（Ｐ＜０．０１），与红细胞Ｃ３ｂ受体花环试验检测结果一致。表明乙型慢性活动性肝炎病人ＲＢＣＣＲ１数量减少，活性下降。其原因可能是特异性循环免疫复合物占据了ＲＢＣＣＲ１空位，使ＣＲ１活性下降。     

登革病毒感染后小鼠细胞免疫功能的动态变化

从登革Ⅱ型病毒感染成年ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ小鼠为模型，观察感染后不同时间机体细胞免疫反应的变化。结果表明：感染后７－１４ｄ免疫功能处于激活状态，表现为腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬功能和脾淋巴细胞对ＣｏｎＡ的反应及ＩＬ－２产生水平都明显高于对照组，感染２１ｄ后免疫功能则转为抑制状态，上棕免疫反应明显低于对照组，脾中的Ｌ３Ｔ４＾＋细胞亚群的百分比逐渐下降；相反，ＬＹＴ２＾＋细胞亚群的百分比逐渐升高，这种抑制现象可维持到     

Possible protective immunity in human opisthorchiasis

Chronic infections with the liver flukes Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis affect over 30 million people in southeastern Asia. With ongoing exposure, reinfection readily occurs following curative treatment and cumulative infections result in significant morbidity and a predisposition to cholangiocarcinoma. Though protective immunity has never been described in human opisthorchiasis, heterogeneity in worm burden occurs and a small number of exposed residents of endemic areas remain apparently uninfected. To explore the nature of this heterogeneity, we compared levels of serum antibody (Ab) to O. viverrini measured by an enzyme-linked immunosor-bent assay in 83 stool egg-positive and 49 stool egg-negative residents of an O. viverrini-endemic area in Thailand. Compared to the egg-positive residents, the egg-negative group had significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA and IgM to adult worm homogenate (AWH) and total Ab to metacercaria homogenate (MH). Furthermore, immunoblot analyses revealed that a significantly higher proportion of sera from the egg-negative residents had IgA reactivity against a 38-k Da AWH antigen and IgM reactivity against carbohydrate epitopes of a 42-k Da AWH glycoprotein antigen. These findings support a hypothesis that the egg-negative group includes individuals who may be immunologically resistant to this usually chronic infection.